Sunday, June 10, 2007

Broiled Salmon on Summer Salad with Ponzu Vinaigrette

My parents came over to help install some screens for my windows, so to pay them back I made a nice light summer dinner.

Broiled Salmon on Summer Salad with Ponzu Vinaigrette
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets scaled, pin bones removed
1/4 cup Sake
1 cup String Beans
2 Tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cobs of Jersey Corn (the best)
3 Radishes thinly sliced
Mixed Greens
Sea Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup Ponzu
1/4 cup Sake
1/4 cup Mirin
1 tablespoon Wasabe Paste
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Olive Oil
teaspoon Honey
1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1 shallot finely minced

1) Marinate salmon in sake. Can add to zip-loc bag and refrigerate.
2) To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and whisk together. I made the measurements up, since I really just started adding all the ingredients, tasting, and adjusting, until I liked the flavor. Set aside.
3) Start a small to medium pot of boiling water. Heavily salt and add string beans for 1 1/2 minutes (until tender). Remove string beans and run cold water or place in ice water.
4) Pre-heat broiler. Remove salmon and don't cook until it is room temperature. Pat salmon dry with paper towels making sure skin gets really dry.
5) Add sea salt and pepper to skin and flesh side of salmon. Put in broiler and cook for about 5-7 minutes. You are looking for the skin to get crispy and the flesh to be moist and firm. The best way to test is always to touch. If it's firm with a little give, it should be OK.
6) Remove salmon and let rest
7) Combine all the salad ingredients into a bowl. Again, I made up the measurements, but just make sure that all the ingredients (corn, tomato, radish, string beans) are close to equal in proportion. Add dressing to lightly coat, not drowning. Another key is to not overwork the leaves.
8) Lay salad down on a plate and place salmon on top.

Salad is nice and light. The fresh corn, tomato, radish, and string beans give you the nice sweet and crunchy texture and flavor of summer. First time blanching string beans and I really like how they turn out. Nice and bright green color with a tender texture, but not mushy and really flavorful.

1 comment:

Athos said...

It looks delicious and artistic. I've paid for dishes that have looked much worse. Good job!